June 2013 articles

Love Your Veggies

All veggies are good for you, but they’re not created equal. Different vegetables serve different purposes. In honor of National Eat Your Veggies Day on June 17, find out which are best for your teeth.

Leafy greens and potatoes are rich in vitamin C, while spinach and broccoli contain lots of folic acid. Both nutrients contribute to strong gums and supporting tissue.1

Green, leafy vegetables are packed with calcium, which keeps teeth and bones strong and helps blood vessels and nerves work properly.2

Eating celery, carrots, and other crunchy vegetables can get your saliva flowing and help rinse food debris from teeth.3 Bonus: Washing away this debris also helps improve your breath.4

Sweet potatoes are full of beta carotene, folic acid, potassium, and vitamins C and E.5 They’re also naturally sweet, so snacking on one can curb cravings for other sweet foods that aren’t as good for your teeth.

Red, yellow, and orange peppers add sweet and spicy flavors to salads and other foods, and have a chemical that provides anti-inflammatory benefits.6

Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, beans, and eggplant are high-fiber veggies6 that help “scrub” the teeth and stimulate saliva flow.7